[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 133, 116th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9856 of March 29, 2019

National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, 2019

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Sexual assault has shattered and scarred the lives of millions of women,
men, and children. During National Sexual Assault Awareness and
Prevention Month, we reaffirm our commitment to eliminating sexual
violence, empowering survivors and their families, and providing justice
to the victims of this devastating crime.
While our Nation has made significant progress in sexual assault
prosecution and prevention, and in providing compassionate care for
survivors dealing with physical and emotional trauma, the battle to
eradi

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cate violence and heal lives is ongoing. My Administration supports
innovative strategies to combat the many forms of sexual assault and to
provide counseling, treatment, and advocacy for survivors nationwide.
For example, to care for victims in rural communities who may lack
proximity to clinics and trained forensic examiners, the Department of
Justice's Office for Victims of Crime is increasing access to exams
through 24-hour telemedicine administered by trained healthcare
examiners. The Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women
has created an updated sexual assault forensic examinations virtual
practicum, which employs cutting-edge technology and interactive
training to prepare forensic professionals to collect evidence and treat
survivors of sexual assault. And the Department of Transportation has
formed the National In-Flight Sexual Misconduct Task Force to assess how
airlines respond to and report sexual misconduct allegations by
passengers on commercial aircraft.
My Administration is also focused on eradicating sex trafficking, a form
of sexual assault that amounts to modern-day slavery. Because many
victims are trafficked online--sometimes by intimate partners, spouses,
parents, or other family members--I signed into law the Allow States and
Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017. This law makes it
easier to take legal action against individuals who use websites to
facilitate sex trafficking and helps victims seek justice against the
websites that profit from their exploitation. It also clarifies that
those who benefit from knowingly assisting, supporting, or facilitating
an act of sex trafficking are in violation of Federal law.
Thanks to the dedication of professionals, volunteers, and concerned
citizens, we are continuing to make strides in the fight against sexual
assault. Young people are learning healthy dating and intimate
relationship skills as a way to prevent sexual violence, and law
enforcement officers and prosecutors are leading unprecedented efforts
to fight sex trafficking. Victim centered services are also supporting
survivors to get the critical help they deserve. By working together, we
can prevent and end the sexual abuse and violence that devastate so many
lives.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 2019 as National
Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. I urge all Americans,
families, law enforcement personnel, healthcare providers, and community
and faith-based organizations to support survivors of sexual assault and
work together to prevent these crimes in their communities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of
March, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
third.
DONALD J. TRUMP